How to Negotiate Salary After You Get a Job Offer

2 years ago

Addressing the issue of interview salary and negotiating your salary when hiring is not always easy. Being well prepared will make it easier for you to land the job of your dreams and negotiate the salary. We give you pro tips to know how to say with finesse how much you are worth. An asset that will hold the attention of recruiters.

Familiarize Yourself With Salary Trends In The Industry.

Before entering the negotiation phase, to be credible with your recruiter and not to appear out of step with reality, you must, first of all, know your market value. What are the salaries practiced in your sector of activity, at what level of hierarchy do you apply, what is the amount of your previous salary, what experience do you have and what level of expertise do you have in the targeted sector? To find out, in particular, the salary ranges practiced in your field, you can use the salary surveys carried out each year by recruitment firms. Having an objective idea of your "market value" is a prerequisite for any negotiation during a hiring process.

You will be able to respond to the job offer with more confidence if you realize that you are well-positioned to land one of the highest-paying positions of the moment. As the employer may have a hard time finding someone with enough skills and experience, this is the opportunity to negotiate a higher salary.

To Succeed In Your Salary Negotiation, You Have To Underline Its Added Value

In order to have weight in the negotiations and therefore to have a chance of achieving your ends, you must make convincing arguments. What makes your personal added value? Temperament, particular experience, studies, main achievements, potential, achievements. Study what makes you today have specific skills that make you stand out from other applicants. And therefore would justify a tailor-made remuneration. Do not hesitate to highlight what your skills will bring to the company: cost savings, time savings, reduction of errors, and therefore productivity gains.

How much do you make for your business? You have to make the effort to calculate your added value. compared to your cost. For example, a salesperson bringing in € 1 million to his company, can legitimize a salary increase if he only earns the minimum wage. a person bringing in 100K € will have more difficulties!

How much are you saving your business? The question is important. Some support functions do not generate revenue, but they are nonetheless essential. To justify an increase, a good argument is to calculate what you have saved your business for during the year. 30K € were saved thanks to you without being asked? You probably deserve a bonus!

Remain Open To Proposed Arrangements And Working Conditions

Negotiations must always be cordial: do not enter into a power struggle. Without giving up your personal interests and the salary you deserve, still remain open to a salary proposal that you do not consider high enough. Sometimes, other arrangements and benefits in kind can be offered such as the possibility of making telecommuting, managing your time and your work time, getting a company car, or training. If the proposed salary does not suit you, you also have the right to make a counter-proposal more in line with your expectations. 

If you are negotiating with other companies, let it be known: it can change the situation and tip the scales in your favor.

Take Into Account Bonuses

A salary cannot be negotiated without knowing all the bonuses that are added to the basic annual remuneration: thirteenth month, bonuses, profit sharing, profit sharing, etc. Taking all these into account will allow you at the end of the process to reach a satisfactory agreement with your new employer.

Salary negotiations often involve concessions on the benefits offered to employees. For an employer, it can be less expensive to give way to additional days off, flexible hours, or, especially at the moment, a telework schedule, than to agree to a higher salary.

Think about what matters most to you and would make the offer more attractive. If you are unsure of multiple offers, be sure to compare health coverage, retirement savings plans, and other benefits directly to document your decision. In addition, consider perks such as job training opportunities offered by the potential employer.

Avoid Negotiating Your Salary From The First Interview

In principle, it is the recruiter who first addresses the subject. Indeed, in general, he does not raise the question until he is sure that the profile interests him. A basic principle of negotiation is that whoever speaks first is the most vulnerable. In addition, you may well be pleasantly surprised to see yourself being offered compensation beyond what you expected to charge. In a recruitment process, you are generally invited to 2, 3, or sometimes even 4 interviews. In this case, it is not necessarily appropriate to raise the question of salary from the first interview. Your recruiter might interpret this as follows: salary is your primary concern and takes precedence over job content. This can be prohibitive.

But sometimes, especially if you meet directly with the recruiting company, it is not uncommon for the first interview to aim to provide you with information about the company, the description of the position to be filled as well as the missions and responsibilities associated with it. It is for the recruiter or the manager the moment to determine, according to your experience, your skills, and your interpersonal skills, if your profile corresponds well to the proposed position. The discussion will focus on your background, your professional aspirations, your personality. If the person you are talking to does not raise your salary expectations, avoid addressing this point in particular. This will be discussed in the next step.

Don't Forget To Formalize Everything In Writing

Once you and the hiring manager agree on a salary envelope, ask for the offer to be formalized in writing. In addition to the amount of the salary, this must include all the specific provisions, for example, a signing bonus or payment of moving costs, as well as the job description and the list of your new responsibilities. Make sure the document is signed by you and the employer. Some companies provide this automatically as part of the employment contract, but if not, ask for at least one informal document.

Conclusion:

Before embarking on negotiating your salary in a recruiting process, keep in mind these few basic rules, which will help you prepare your pitch and put the odds in your favor. Ask yourself these questions well beforehand to be able to perform well on D-Day.

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